Summary:With its inception in 1796, the Santee Canal offers a lot for the keen history buff. One of the engineers was none other than General George Washington! The original canal was 22 miles in length, but after Lake Moultrie was formed, there remains a beautiful 2.5-mile section of the canal.

Difficulty: Moderate, due to crossing open water

Distance: 6.4 miles, round-trip

Time: 3- 4 hours, minimum

Crowds: Very light; could see boaters/anglers. Almost guaranteed not to see anyone else in the canal.

Precautions: Winds above 10 MPH can be tough for a paddler on Lake Moultrie. There is a lot of open water for wind to intensify and cause waves/whitecaps. There are hundreds of tree stumps just inches below the water’s surface. These can flip a paddler if a boat gets wedged on top. Tip: these stumps can usually be seen with polarized sunglasses.

Summary: The 600-acre Sandy Beach Waterfowl Refuge includes part of North Lake Moultrie. It is a protected waterfowl management area with a nice beach for primitive camping. This entire area is beautiful with tupelos, flowing aquatic plants and you’re almost guaranteed to see a few large birds of prey. There are hiking trails open from March 1 until November 1.

Difficulty: Moderate, due to crossing open water

Distance: 5.2 miles, round-trip

Time: 2 – 3 hours; although, we recommend spending the night/camping on this little gem of a beach!

Crowds: Light to Moderate. You’re almost guaranteed to see boaters/anglers, and you might see other paddlers on the weekends.

Precautions: Winds above 10 MPH can be tough for a paddler on Lake Moultrie. There is a lot of open water for wind to intensify and cause waves/whitecaps. There are hundreds of tree stumps just inches below the water’s surface. These can flip a paddler if a boat gets wedged on top. Tip: these stumps can usually be seen with polarized sunglasses. It’s advisable to wear bright orange during hunting season.

Summary: Located between Sandy Beach and the Amos Lee Gourdine boat ramp, the Russellville Flats area offers some of the most picturesque flora of Lake Moultrie. There are several islands, two swamps, numerous shallow bays and a way ditch to the black water canal that parallels the dike system. For the angler, this area offers some of the best bluegill and red eared sunfish fishing to be found anywhere.

Summary: The Jungle is an enclosed tupelo swamp with an appearance like the famed Okefenokee Swamp of south Georgia, but on a much smaller scale. The waters are heavily grown with water lilies, lotus plants and various grasses. There are many options for exploration on this paddle.

Difficulty: Moderate. The lilies/vegetation can be overgrown and tough to push through, but well worth the effort.

Precautions: You’ll stay close to the shoreline on this route and won’t have to cross any large bodies of water. Winds can intensify on Lake Moultrie resulting in waves/whitecaps. There are hundreds of tree stumps just inches below the water’s surface, particularly the closer you get to the entrance of The Jungle. These can flip a paddler if a boat gets wedged on top. Tip: these stumps can usually be seen with polarized sunglasses.

Summary: Dennis’s Pasture, also known as the “Cow Pasture,” comprises of the area between The Jungle and Bonneau Beach. It consists of numerous small islands and open bays of varying depths and vegetation. It’s unique because the density of islands and cypress groves offer good wind protection. You can easily spend a full day of paddling the various bays, way ditch and canal.

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Distance: 4 – 6 miles, roundtrip, varies based on exploration.

Time: 2 – 3 hours, but take your time to discover all this has to offer.

Summary: Coon Island is known as one of the best places for primitive camping on Lake Moultrie (locals may also call this “Coon Hill Island”). There is a beautiful beach with high ground on its south side. Camping is permitted on a first come, first serve basis, and the area is large enough to support many campers.

Difficulty: Easy to moderate­­­

Distance: 7 miles, round-trip

Time: 2 – 3 hours; although, we recommend spending the night/camping on this great island!

Crowds: Moderate. You’re almost guaranteed to see boaters/anglers, and you’ll probably see other paddlers on the weekends.

Precautions: You’ll stay close to the shoreline on most of this route. Winds can intensify on Lake Moultrie resulting in waves/whitecaps. There are hundreds of tree stumps just inches below the water’s surface. These can flip a paddler if a boat gets wedged on top. Tip: these stumps can usually be seen with polarized sunglasses.

Summary: The Hatchery, or sometimes called “Pinopolis Pool” by locals, is a 2,200+ acre Department of Natural Resources protected Waterfowl Management Area. It’s somewhat contained by a series of old dikes and many small islands. This paddle offers anything from a couple hours of enjoyment to an all-day adventure – there’s lots to see! Wildlife includes wading birds, song birds and small game. It offers some of the best fishing around.

Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Distance: 3 miles, round-trip, and exploration available

Time: 2 – 2.5 hours

Crowds: Moderate. You’re almost guaranteed to see boaters/anglers, and you’ll probably see other paddlers on the weekends.

Precautions: You’ll have protection from some winds with a few islands and dikes, however, there are plenty of open spaces in The Hatchery where winds can intensify resulting in waves/whitecaps. There are hundreds of tree stumps just inches below the water’s surface. These can flip a paddler if a boat gets wedged on top. Tip: these stumps can usually be seen with polarized sunglasses. It’s advisable to wear bright orange during hunting season.

Summary: The area of Lake Moultrie known as the Duckpond is a large enclosed bay that opens to a smaller area of a cypress swamp that contains abundant wildlife, cypress and tupelo trees, and tall grasses. It is home to numerous wading birds, as well as large osprey and bald eagles. About midway between the boat ramp and the Duckpond is a nice sandy beach that can even be used for primitive camping!

Precautions: You’ll have protection from some winds once you reach the Duckpond, however, if winds are above 10 MPH expect some waves and whitecaps on the paddle to the area. There are many of tree stumps just inches below the water’s surface. These can flip a paddler if a boat gets wedged on top. Tip: these stumps can usually be seen with polarized sunglasses.

Summary: Wilson’s Landing is located on the tailrace of the Lake Marion Dam. This is the longest paddle in the Berkeley Blueways program. This 25-mile section of the Santee River is best attempted by camping overnight and making two days of the adventure. During most water levels, there are many sandbars along the trip. There is very little sign of human habitation and wildlife is abundant.

Difficulty: Very strenuous, due to distance and the potential of Class 1 riffles. Tenured paddlers only!

Distance: 25 miles

Time: 9 – 12 hours of paddling

Crowds: Very light. You’re likely to only see motorized boats near the two landings. Not many paddlers make this journey either.

Boat Type: Kayaks or canoes 14-feet or longer, with room for overnight camping provisions. Paddle boards are not recommended.

Precautions: Motorized boats go up and down the river near the two landings. While normally not a problem for paddlers, dam water releases could inundate campsites. Call 800-925-2537 for scheduled releases.

Summary: This section of the Santee River terminates at Arrowhead Landing on the Santee Cooper Rediversion Canal. This adventure has many sandbars, as well as islands for breaks, lunch or camping. There are two landmarks on this paddle: a railroad trestle at mile 4.9 and a set of high-tension power lines crossing the river at mile 8.0. This is a fun day trip for experienced paddlers.

Difficulty: Very strenuous, only due to distance

Distance: 13 miles

Time: 6 – 8 hours

Crowds: Light. You’re likely to see motorized boats up and down the river, however, the river is wide enough where this shouldn’t bother the paddler. You’re likely not to see many other paddlers on this trip.

Boat Type: Kayaks or canoes 12-feet or longer. Paddle boards are not recommended.

Precautions: Motorized boats go up and down the river near the two landings. While normally not a problem for paddlers, dam water releases could inundate sandbars. Call 800-925-2537 for scheduled releases.